If Germany, then Düsseldorf!

After London and Paris, the metropolitan area of Düsseldorf is the most important city in Europe when it comes to foreign investment, making it the No. 1 in Germany. Many overseas companies are therefore saying: If Germany, then Düsseldorf!

The Office of Economic Development in the State Capital Düsseldorf is pleased to welcome a number of new companies to the city who have recently established their (European) headquarters here. Their motives for doing so include transferring their European activities from other cities or using Düsseldorf as a base from which to tap into the European market for the first time.

Among recent examples are QCT, (Quanta Cloud Technologies) from Taiwan, which has opened its European headquarters in Hamborner Straße and already created 25 new jobs. The aim is to increase this number to 50.

Chenming Paper, one of the world's largest paper manufacturers, has re-located from Hamburg to the Rhine. ShaanGu Europa, the Chinese plant construction company, moved its European head office to Düsseldorf in May of this year. In 2016, some 70 Chinese companies settled in the city.

Harsco Rail Europe, a leading railway track maintenance and construction company from the USA, re-located from Ratingen. Zoro Tools Europe, a subsidiary of a North American concern, considerably expanded its headquarters here.

Since July of this year, Wiko’s German headquarters has been located in Düsseldorf. For the smartphone manufacturer from France, Düsseldorf’s reputation as a leading mobile phone hub and centre of a metropolitan region was reason enough to move from Hamburg.

Shikoku Kakoki (Japan), a specialist in food filling and packaging systems, extended its activities in Düsseldorf, and Sugatsune (Japan), a producer of furniture fittings, set up a European branch in the city.

Last year, Wacom inaugurated its new European headquarters in Völklingerstraße; the Japanese company moved to the State Capital from Krefeld. In the meantime, Wacom has become an active partner to the Office of Economic Development, becoming involved in the digihub Düsseldorf/Rheinland and with the Start-Up Week.

Also in 2016, Asahi Kasei, a leading Japanese manufacturer of fibres, chemicals and electronic components, consolidated several of its subsidiaries and opened a new European head office in the State Capital. It began with a staff of 35. In the past year alone, the Office of Economic Development listed 30 new Japanese companies.  

Key factors in Düsseldorf’s favour as an industrial site are its central location, proximity to customers and business partners, its potential as a source of manpower and the quality of life the city offers. This makes it possible to not only find specialist personnel, but also to bind them to companies in the long term.

Download brochure:  Düsseldorf-Your Base in Europe: key facts for investors